Porn and Premature Ejaculation

Studies on the effect of watching pornographic material are sometimes difficult to track. Results vary and very few theories have been brought to conclusion. Suggestions that porn is addictive and that it reduces a person's ability to perform in real-life sexual situations are difficult to prove for certain given the lack of definitive evidence. However, there does seem to be evidence of links between compulsive, or addictive, porn viewing and premature ejaculation, even if it's difficult to find hard evidence.

Many theories surrounding the problems of excessive porn viewing suggest that desensitisation is a part of the problem. Once you begin watching porn, and especially if you begin watching early in your life, you stop connecting sexual stimulation with real-life situations. Because masturbation with pornography often occurs more frequently than actual sexual experiences your brain is rewired after a time to expect immediate gratification, as is often experienced with pornography, rather than a full sexual experience.

Premature ejaculation relies on the same principle as the one explored by the Russian psychologist, Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov would ring a bell each time he was about to serve dinner to his dogs who then began to associate the bell with food and would salivate; after a while, Pavlov could ring the bell and the dogs would salivate even without the presence of food. The brain becomes used to the immediate gratification that comes with pornography and masturbation and so, in time, it begins to expect, and indeed deliver, immediate – or premature – gratification, even in situations where it is not wanted.

Pornography As A Sex Educator

Most people look at pornography as an almost idealised version of sex. From the perspective of the viewer it offers the opportunity to be involved in a sexual relationship that is often more exciting than what is offered in reality. For people in relationships, the ability to watch other men or women taking part in sexual activities provides a platform wherein a person can fantasise about – and visualise - a person besides their partner involved in the sexual act, without feeling like they have been unfaithful. Furthermore, pornography often highlights the deviant nature that triggers an increased sexual desire in most people, in addition to the glamorising and exploiting of fetishes.

For many men, pornography has become the leading sex educator, and in the UK in particular there is a very clear culture where over-sexualised media, as well as explicit pornographic material, leads how we view sex, particularly in young people. Amongst the main issues with this is that, as mentioned, pornographic material - being almost exclusively unrealistic and geared toward exploiting fetishes and otherwise unattainable fantasies - desensitises viewers from real sexual activity. It therefore leads in to the psychological element whereby the brain is unable to separate masturbating with pornography from real-life sexual encounters; the upshot is that the brain begins to expect the same immediate gratification in real sexual encounters that one would find in masturbation with pornography.

Pornography In The UK

The Independent found in 2014 that around 50% of the British public watch pornography at least occasionally and it is easy to draw a line to an increasing alienation from real-life sexual situations. When searching the terms 'Porn and Premature Ejaculation', a lot of the results will lead you to sites that include people discussing their own experiences. The vast majority are men who discuss how they were addicted to pornography – often for the reasons above - and how their sex lives have improved and how instances of premature ejaculation have decreased since they began weaning themselves off pornography.

Reversing The Habit

Most sites and testimonials suggest that the problems that come with excessive pornographic material can be reversed. Abstaining from viewing explicit material, or else not acting upon any sexual urges when you do, can allow your brain time to rewire itself, and as with any non-essential bodily urge it is a question of reversing or disrupting the internal habitual signals that lead to the occurrence of said habit. In the same way that a person can stop smoking over time, someone who has become reliant on pornography for effective, sexual stimulation can, given time and patience, stop themselves from feeling the effects of over-exposure to pornographic material. Find out more about treating premature ejaculation here.